Raspberry Pi founder demonstrates upcoming touch panel accessory, Pi tablets a possibility

[Shawn Knight]

Raspberry Pi owners will soon be able to ditch their phablets, iPads and Android-powered slates. Why, you ask? Because they’ll be able to build their very own “Pi Pads” using a brand-new accessory for the credit card-sized computer.

During a recent interview at TechCrunch Disrupt in London, Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton said his foundation has been promising fans that a display accessory was coming – and now it’s finally going to happen.

The first official display from the Raspberry Pi Foundation is a 7-inch VGA capacitive touch panel with a mount for a Raspberry Pi board on the reverse. Upton said it’s kind of like a tablet, if you’re prepared to put up with a very thick tablet. The idea, he added, is that it gives users something they can embed.

Upton said they hope to make the display available by the end of the year or early next year. Pricing wasn’t mentioned although given the nature of the computer that’ll be driving it, I wouldn’t expect it to be too terribly expensive.

In related news, Upton said they plan to make an announcement soon regarding a Raspberry Pi model A+. He didn’t divulge any information on the board outside of saying he thinks it’s going to be an exciting product.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has sold more than four million mini computers since offering its first board nearly three years ago. That’s quite the accomplishment when you consider Upton envisioned selling roughly 10,000 units. Ever.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/58542-raspberry-pi-founder-demonstrates-upcoming-touch-panel-accessory.html

 

[oldikes]

Very cool. assuming its not more than like, $50 or $60, I guess. IDK.

 

[domyz]

Thank you, Jason Statham

 

[VitalyT]

Thank you, Jason Statham

Ha-ha, I was about to say the same, but you were first

 

[Kibaruk]

When I first bought the Pi it had very cool usage, setting up services and whatnot but sooner than later it began seeing less and less usage, now it's inside a box somewhere.

The only thing I'd add is the possibility to add a larger supply in order to use external unpowered devices, like HDD and whatnot, this way could be easily used as a home storage solution/torrenting/backup machine (Which can be done now, but adding powered hubs or powered drives, yata yata all in all you have to be selective with the kind of hardware you end up using).